Chinese acrobats can take your breath away with an ordinary chair or table

By LESLEY HOLDCROFT, SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Published 10:00 pm, Thursday, January 12, 2006

It's not often that a performance sends the kids outside to practice. The Peking Acrobats inspire children to move and create on that level.

The acrobats do one-handed handstands atop a rickety tower of chairs.

The acrobats contort and walk on wires.

The acrobats tumble, trick cycle and perform eye-opening gymnastics.

The acrobats present skits with lions, and then take off their masks to show a real performer lives inside. At intermission, kids often try to replicate the work on the lawn, turning cartwheels and somersaults.

"Kids are simply mesmerized by the Peking Acrobats," says Don Hughes, co-producer of the Peking Acrobats. "They see things there on the stage that they don't believe can happen, or be done."

When Hughes, who brought the troupe to the United States in 1985 with his co-producer, fourth-generation acrobat Ken Hai, attends the show, he watches the audiences. "One particular day, at intermission, I heard a child saying to his mother: 'It's not over yet, is it?' "

Recorded in folk art as early as the Chin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.), Chinese acrobats begin young and receive the status of an American opera star through discipline and innovation. Each generation adds new twists and turns to the performances.

Children 5 and older are welcome to attend the event Saturday, and by all accounts, the work of the Peking Acrobats resonates deeply with young audiences. Perhaps this is because in China, children can begin studying acrobatics at age 6. Hughes explains: "Acrobatic schools are in every big city in China. Children study the ABCs in the morning, and acrobatics each afternoon for three to four hours."

The disciplined life can lead to world travel for a Chinese child, as well as a prompt bedtime. "There's no arguing about whether or not to go to sleep at the proper hour," says Hughes. "They lead a very disciplined life."

The 22 acrobats appearing on the Meany stage are ages 18 to 24. They come from various cities in China. Each began studying early in life, and many are from acrobatic families. Six musicians accompany the group with traditional Chinese instruments.

For an American accustomed to U.S. and European versions of acrobatics, the Chinese version may be particularly refreshing. Before communist China opened to the West and all its merchandise, the Chinese practiced with practical household items.

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"It all began with a chair atop a kitchen table," Hughes explains. "The Chinese used the items any one might find at home. That's why we like to tell people: 'Don't try this at home.' "

Even today, after touring America since 1985, the Peking Acrobats stick to the traditional Chinese style of acrobatic expression while enjoying modern lighting and stage enhancements.